Trash organizer

Abstract

The disclosed trash can is divided into two compartments by two side-by-side trash can liners for separately accumulating two classes of waste. An extensible divider is placed across the top opening of the trash can; there are clips along each side of the divider and along the top opening of the trash can so that each trash can liner is readily secured in position and removed independent of the other.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Apparatus for supporting the open mouths of two trash can liners at the rim of a trash can so that the liners are positioned in the trash can side-by-side for providing two trash sortation compartments, said apparatus including an elongated divider adapted to extend across the trash can and including end portions to rest on said rim, said end portions comprising locating formations engaging respective outside marginal areas of the trash can adjacent its rim, said locating formations being slender for reception within the cover of the trash can when in place on the trash can, said divider comprising telescopic parts enabling the divider to extend across trash containers of various sizes, and securing devices distributed along said divider including two rows of clips at the opposite sides, respectively, of said divider, each of the rows of clips being effective for securing a marginal portion of each liner independently at the opening thereof to a respective side of the divider. 
     
     
       2. Apparatus for supporting the open mouths of two trash can liners at the rim of a trash can so that the liners are positioned in the trash can side-by-side for providing two trash sortation compartments, said apparatus including an elongated divider adapted to extend across the trash can and said divider comprising two elongated parts that are longitudinally adjustable relative to each other, said elongated parts being of molded plastic and being alike in dimensions and shape, said elongated parts, when assembled, comprising opposite-end locating formations engageable with the rim of the trash can, each of said elongated parts comprising an elongated horizontal panel and an elongated vertical wall having respective longitudinal margins unified with each other, one of said horizontal panels overlying the other when said elongated parts are assembled and the vertical walls of said parts being spaced apart and depending from said horizontal panels, respectively, one longitudinal edge of the horizontal panel of one of said elongated parts abutting and being guided by the depending vertical wall of the other of said elongated parts, and a row of securing devices distributed along said divider, the cross-section of each of said securing devices being in part in the shape of a "U" including a base portion overlying said horizontal panels and including side portions depending from said base portion, said side portions of at least one of said securing devices closely straddling said elongated parts for restraining them in alignment, said horizontal panels having aligned longitudinal slots, and fastening means for holding said elongated parts in longitudinally adjustable assembly to each other, said fastening means including a retainer under the horizontal panels and an element extending from said base portion of said one of said securing devices through said slots to said retainer, each of said securing devices having clips at opposite sides of the divider, the clips of the securing devices thus being distrubted in two rows at the opposite sides of the divider for securing a marginal portion of each liner adjacent its opening independently to said divider. 
     
     
       3. Trash collection apparatus including a trash can, a pair of trash can liners, and means for supporting said trash can liners in said trash can so as to form two side-by-side compartments, said supporting means including a lengthwise adjustable elongated divider having end portions cooperating with the rim of the trash can for supporting the divider and for retaining the divider in position, and said divider comprising lengthwise slotted parts one of which overlies the other, and a trash-can liner securing device overlying and closely straddling said slotted parts and a fastening device extending through said securing device and said slotted parts for holding the securing device and the slotted parts together so that said slotted parts are adjustable lengthwise in relation to each other and are retained in alignment with each other, said securing device having trash-can-liner securing elements on opposite sides of said divider, and clips distributed around the rim of the trash can acting with said trash-can-liner securing elements for securing each trash can liner in place independently and for releasing each trash can liner separately.